Motor vehicle frame with central longitudinal member and frame fork



July 31, 1956 LLER J. MU MOTOR VEHICLE FRAME WITH CENTRAL LONGITUDINAL MEMBER AND FRAME FORK Filed Feb. 8, 1952 T0 61 M LL16? 177.44: Y Mai/PW H fomvo vs United States Patent MOTOR VEHICLE FRAME WITH CENTRAL LON- GITUDINAL MEMBER AND FRAME FORK Josef Miiller, Stuttgart, Germany, assignor to Paimler- Benz Aktiengesellschaft, Stuttgart-Unterturkheim, Germany Application February 8, 1952,, Serial No. 270,627 Claims priority, application Germany February 8, 1951 18 Claims. (Cl. 18064) The present invention relate-s to a motor vehicle frame having a tubular central longitudinal member and one or two frame forks connected therewith, one of which, for instance, may support the power plant, while the other serves to take up axial forces.

it is accordingly an object of the present invention, in connection with a frame fork which is intersected by a cross-member at its place of connection with a tubular central longitudinal member, to develop as rigid as possible a connection of the frame fork, of the longitudinal member, and of the cross-member.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a frame construction including a frame fork, a longitudinal central member and a cross-member which is. adapted, in particular, for the accommodation and passage of the driving members while at the same time leaving a central, free space, and to achieve these objectives by simple, suitable means, particularly in such a manner that the driving members may be introduced from one side, preferably from below, into the longitudinal central member at its place of connection with the frame fork.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a frame, which consists of a frame fork and of a partial frame composed of longitudinal and cross-members constructed in such a manner that there is formed a frame system which is as rigid as possible, and is particularly suitable for mounting and supporting or bracing of the body of the vehicle, and which furthermore provides spatial conditions as favorable as possible, in spite of the assembled construction.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a frame construction for motor vehicles which comprises a hollow central longitudinal member, and hollow frame forks rigidly attached to both ends of the central longitudinal member, a plurality of cross-members intersecting the longitudinal central member, and a plurality of longitudinal lateral members interconnecting the cross-members.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a frame construction which is as rigid as possible in structure, simple in design and which permits the ready assembly and disassembly of the driving members.

Further objects and characteristics of the present invention are to be taken from the following description of an embodiment.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows a side view of the undercarriage in section along the line 1-1 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 2 shows a plan view of Fig. 1, showing the entire motor vehicle frame,

Fig. 3 shows a cross Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 shows a longitudinal section along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, Figs. 3 and 4 being represented on a larger scale, and

Figure 4a shows a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale of cross member 23 similar to Figure 4 with certain parts omitted for sake of clarity.

section along the 'line 33 of Referring now,: more particularly to the drawing wherein like reference numerals, are used throughout the various figures to designate like parts, the frame consists of a hollow tubular longitudinal central member 10, which flares atits front end 11 in a funnel-shaped manner. It is formed of two- U-shaped; pressings or stampings which are welded together by means of a horizontal longitudinal joint or seam. The fork arms 12 and 13 which may likewise be of hollow construction, are welded laterally to the front end of central member 10, whereby, in the region of the connection, the inside walls; of the fork arms are shaped similar to the outside wall of the longitudinal central member or bearer 10, 11. The frame fork 12, 13 is stiffened at its front endby tubular cross-member 14. The central longitudinal member; 10 terminates at its rear end in hollowfork arms 15 and 16, which are connected to the central longitudinal member 10, and are connected with each other by hollow cross-member 17.

The frame consists furthermore of a frame part, which consists of the lateral longitudinal members 18, 19 and 20, 21, respectively, and of the cross-members 22, 23, 24, and 25. The longitudinal members 18, 20, and 19, 21, respectively, are furthermore staggered in a cross direction, whereby the former conform to the outer limit of the vehicle, while the latter are displaced to such an extent farther towards the interior as is required with regard for the rear wheels. Ahead of the rear wheels they are additionally stilfened by cross-members 26 and 27. The crosswbearer 22 is of box-type cros-s-sectionand is interrupted within the longitudinal central member so as to permit the passage of the vehicle drive, as can be seen particularly in Figure 3. Both halves of this cross-member 22 are, on the one hand, guided at their outer arms through the longitudinal members 18 and 19, ande are suitably welded to the latter onthe inside and outside thereof.

The inner ends of the cross-member halves 22 are furthermore. brought to the center of the vehicle as near as possible, within given design limits in accordance with the present invention, and are connected with each other within the cross-member, i. e., within its flared portion 11, by a bow-shaped bent member 28, which has a U-shaped cross-section, as shown in Figure 4, and which is welded to the longitudinal central member 10 as well as to the cross-member halves 22. The bottom wall of the flared portion 11 of the longitudinal central member 10 may be suitably closed by a cover 29, which is fastened thereto by bolts 29 and which may be taken off in a downwardly direction, as best seen in Figures 3 and 4.

In order to provide further stiffening of the frame fork, provision may also be made for a metal sheet 30, which additionally stiifens fork arms 12 and 13, with the longitudinal central member 10 at the point of connection thereof. It may simultaneously serve as a connection member for the dash board 31 or a part thereof.

The cross-member 23 which may likewise be of boxtype or tubular structure, is guided through the central member 10, and welded thereto. Within the longitudinal member 10, cross-member 23 is provided with an opening 32 for the passage of the Cardan shaft, as shown in Figures 4 and 40. I

The cross-member 24 which partly surrounds the longitudinal central member 10, and which is welded to the longitudinal members 18 through 21, may, for example, have a high U-shaped cross-section, so that a stiff connection of the outer longitudinal members 18 through 21 with the central longitudinal member 10 may be achieved. The central longitudinal member 10 and/or the frame fork or forks and the partial frame, which consists of longitudinal and cross-members, may further be stiffened by flloor parts 33 and 34, made, for example, of sheet meta For the support of front wheels 35 and of the driving aggregate 36, provision is made for an intermediate member 37, which, for example, may be supported elastically at the front frame fork 12 and 13 at three points 38, 39, and 40. The wheels 35 may, for example, be suspended by two wheel forks 41 and 42 from the intermediate member 37, and may be spring-suspended against the latter, for example, by helical springs. The drive aggregate 36 is, on the one hand, elastically supported on the intermediate member 37 as at point 43, and, on the other hand, elastically braced by means of tubular extension =15, which is located adjacent to the change gear 44, in the flared portion 11 of the longitudinal central member 10, as, for example, by means of two rubber segments 46 or the like.

A Cardan shaft 48 serves for the drive of rear wheels 47 which passes through the longitudinal central tube 10, and drives the rear axle gear 50. Rear axle gear St) is elastically suspended from cross-member or bearer 17 by means of bracket 4% attached to member l7 and rubber buffers db, and in its part transmits the drive of the rear wheels by cross shafts within the flexible half axles 51.

Helical springs 52 serve as suspension for the rear wheels, said springs being supported with their lower ends against guiding or radius arms 53, which guide the swinging half axles 51 and supported with their upper ends against the ends of the cross bearer 17 or against the longitudinal bearers 2G, 21.

The invention is not restricted to the represented embodiment, but it can be varied at discretion within the scope of the individual characteristics of the invention.

What I claim is:

l. A motor vehicle frame comprising a tubular central longitudinal member, a frame fork adjoining said member and consisting of two hollow frame members welded laterally to said central longitudinal member with a seam running substantially in the longitudinal direction in such a manner that said frame members form lateral hollow support members with the wall of said central longitudinal member, a cross-member in the region of said connection of said frame fork to said central longitudinal member consisting of two half cross-members, each of said half cross-members passing through said adjacent hollow support members and through the wall of said central longitudinal member, said half cross-members being spaced from one another in the region of said central longitudinal member, bow-shaped reinforcing member, said reinforcing member rigidly connecting said half cross members and being welded to said half cross members.

2. A motor vehicle frame according to claim 1, wherein the half cross members are'constructed as hollow members.

3. A motor vehicle frame according to claim 1 in which the half cross-members are developed as hollow members and the bow-shaped member is developed within the central longitudinal member as av hollow body in such a manner that the cross-member halves form a continuous hollow crossdnember with said bow-shaped member.

4. A motor vehicle frame according to claim 1, in which the longitudinal central member is widened in the zone of the connection thereof to the frame fork, and said bow-shaped reinforcing member extends along the wall of the longitudinal central member and is welded to the ends of said cross-member and also to the longitudinal central member so as to form a hollow member.

5. In a motor vehicle, the combination according to claim 1 in which the longitudinal central member is open towards the bottom opposite said bow-shaped member within the region of the place of connection thereof to said frame fork, and includes a removable cover for closing said opening.

6. In a motor vehicle a frame comprising a tubular central longitudinal member, a frame fork adjacent said central longitudinal member consisting of two hollow frame members Welded laterally to said longitudinal member with a joint running substantially in the longitudinal direction, a cross-member in the region of the connection of said frame fork to said central longitudinal member consisting of two half cross-members, one of each of said half cross-members intersecting a respective neighboring fork member, said half cross-members being spaced from one another within said central longitudinal member, a bow-shaped stiifening'member within said longitudinal central member, said bow-shaped member rigidly connecting the ends of said half cross-member with each other and with said longitudinal central member, said longitudinal central member being accessible from the bottom thereof in the region of said fork members and beneath said bow-shaped stiffening member, a driving aggregate between said frame fork having a casing portion extending within said longitudinal central member in the portion accessible from the bottom thereof so as to be able to be mounted in said longitudinal central member from below.

7. In a motor vehicle, a frame comprising a tubular central longitudinal member, a frame fork connected to said member consisting of two hollow frame members welded laterally to said central longitudinal member with a seam extending substantially in the longitudinal direc tion, a cross-member in the zone of the connection of said frame fork to said central longitudinal member consisting of two half cross-members, each of said half cross-members passing through an adjacent fork member, said half cross-members being spaced from one another in the zone of the central longitudinal member, a bowshaped reinforcing member within said longitudinal central member, said reinforcing member connecting the ends of said half cross-members with each other and being welded to said half cross-members and to said longitudinal central member so as to form a continuous hollow cross-member, said longitudinal central. member being open and accessible from the bottom thereof in the region of said fork members and beneath said bowshaped reinforcing member, a power plant between said frame fork having a casing portion extending within said longitudinal central member in the open portion thereof so as to be able to be mounted into said longitudinal central member from below.

8. A motor vehicle frame comprising a longitudinal central member extending over a central region of the length of the vehicle, a frame fork rigidly connected therewith and extending substantially from one end of said longitudinal central member to one end of the vehicle, a second frame fork rigidly connected with said longitudinal central member and extending substantially from the other end of said longitudinal central member in the direction of the other end of the vehicle, but terminating in front of said other end, a plurality of cross-members intersecting said longitudinal central member and rigidly connected therewith and with said second frame fork, the transverse member closest to said first frame fork intersecting the longitudinal central member in the zone of the connection of said first frame fork to the longitudinal central member, means including the cross-member furthest from said last-named crossmember for connecting the ends of the second frame fork with each other, means including lateral longitudinal members for connecting the outer ends of said cross-members with each other, said lateral members being extended to said second-named vehicle end, means including another cross-member for connecting the ends of said lateral longitudinal members at said last-named end of the vehicle at least two vehicle wheels on both sides of the vehicle frame, axle drive means between said two vehicle wheels for driving said wheels, means extending through said longitudinal central member for driving said axle drive means, and means for supporting said axle drive means on the cross-member for connecting the ends of said second frame fork with each other.

9. A motor vehicle frame comprising a tubular longitudinal central member terminating in a frame fork having two hollow fork arms extending towards one end of the vehicle but terminating in front thereof, a plurality of cross-members, means for rigidly connecting said cross-members with said longitudinal central member including said frame fork, one of said cross-members connecting the fork ends and extending therebeyond, means including lateral longitudinal members for rigidly connecting said cross-members with each other, said lateral members extending beyond said one cross-member to said end of the vehicle, and further means including a further cross-member for connecting the ends of said lateral longitudinal members at said end in such a manner that a substantially free space remains between the two last-mentioned cross-members and said longitudinal members.

10. A motor vehicle frame according to claim 9 comprising a further frame fork at the other end of the vehicle, wherein the cross-members intersecting said longitudinal central member include cross-members in the zone of the connection of the two frame forks to said longitudinal central member, wherein said first-mentioned lateral longitudinal members include two lateral longitudinal members extending substantially over the same length of the vehicle as said longitudinal central member exclusive said frame forks, said two last-mentioned lateral members being spaced apart a distance corresponding substantially to the width of the vehicle and connecting together the cross-members located in the zone of the connections of said frame forks, and wherein said first-mentioned lateral longitudinal members include lateral longitudinal members spaced apart a lesser distance than said vehicle width and extending from the cross-member which is located in the zone of the connection of the first-mentioned frame fork to the crossmember located at the end of the vehicle.

11. A motor vehicle frame according to claim 9, further comprising at least one bottom plate closing off the space between the longitudinal central member and the lateral longitudinal members, and means for rigidly conmeeting said plate with the central and the lateral longitudinal members and with at least two of said crossmembers.

12. A motor vehicle frame according to claim 1, further comprising a floor plate rigidly connected with the longitudinal central member and the cross-member halves and closing ofl? the space between them.

13. In a motor vehicle, the combination according to claim 6, further comprising a removable cover for closing the opening of said longitudinal central member.

14. A motor vehicle frame according to claim 6, further comprising means for supporting said driving aggregate on said frame fork, and further means for supporting said driving aggregate by means of said extendedcasing portion within said hollow longitudinal central member in the region where it is open from the bottom thereof.

15. In a motor vehicle the combination according to claim 7, wherein the end of said longitudinal central member connected to said frame fork flares in a funnelshaped manner and is partially opened on the bottom thereof, further comprising means for supporting said power plant in the funnel-shaped flaring of said longitudinal central member, and a removable cover for closing the bottom of the partially opened portion of said longitudinal central member.

16. A motor vehicle frame comprising a tubular longitudinal central member terminating in a frame fork having two hollow frame fork arms extending towards one end of the vehicle but terminating in front thereof, a plurality of cross-members, means for rigidly connecting said cross-members with said longitudinal central member including said frame fork, one of said crossmembers connecting the fork ends and extending therebeyond, two vehicle wheels on both sides of the vehicle on each side of the frame, axle drive means between said two wheels for driving said wheels, means extending through said central longitudinal member for driving said axle drive means, means for supporting said axle drive means on said one cross-member between said two hollow fork arms, means including lateral longitudinal members for rigidly connecting said cross-members with each other, said lateral members extending beyond said one cross-member to said end of the vehicle, and further means including a further cross-member for connecting the ends of said lateral longitudinal members at said end in such a manner that a substantially free space remains between the two last-mentioned cross-members and said longitudinal members.

17. A motor vehicle frame according to claim 16, further comprising means for guiding said wheels on said axle drive means, and spring means for supporting said wheels essentially against the ends of said one crossmember extending beyond the ends of said frame fork.

18. A motor vehicle frame according to claim 8, wherein said means for driving said axle drive means is located between said first-mentioned frame fork.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,189,284 Nelson July 4, 1916 1,694,112 Windberger Dec. 4, 1928 2,106,541 Tjaarda Jan. 25, 1938 2,346,123 Willson Apr. 4, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS 135,494 Austria Nov. 25, 1933 510,984 Germany Oct. 24, 1930 725,916 Germany Oct. 2, 1942 544,031 Great Britain Mar. 25, 1942 259,721 Italy Aug. 12, 1928 32 .58 Italy Oct. 16, 1934 

